Customer Reviews

Best of the Gillis Brothers - Hh-1371

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Playing Time - 58:02
Songs - Down By The River, Peace Bells In Glory, A Lonesome Night, Wake the Town, Wild Turkey, Keeper of the Door , Ice Cold Stone , Sunshine in the Shadows , Ohoopee, Single Girl, The Lonesome Traveler, The Memory of Your Smile , The Angels are Singing (in Heaven Tonight), Rock Bottom, Nobody Came, Life Beyond Death , Harbor Of Love, Mother's Last Years, The Promise

The Gillis Brothers from Soperton, Georgia refer to their music as "Mountain Style Bluegrass from the Georgia Swamplands." Hay Holler Records' Kerry Hay calls it "Southern Appalachian Mountain Music along the lines of what Carter and Ralph Stanley did." Banjo-player and guitarist Larry Gillis once admitted, however, that "actually, we never listened to them much," even though this nearly hour-long album does offer four songs recorded by the Stanleys (A Lonesome Night, The Angels are Singing, Harbor of Love, The Lonesome Traveler). The latter tune features some frenetic clawhammer banjo. This compilation has 19 of the 42 cuts that appear on three Gillis Brothers albums released by Hay Holler in 1992-93. The Gillis' called their band "Hard Driving Bluegrass." The cover photo also has shows them decked out in 50s-vintage white hats which were a Gillis Brothers' trademark until about 1997. Guitarist John once said, "I had a headache all the time ... and it's hard to keep `em clean."

This exciting quartet also featured Owen Saunders (fiddle) and Andy Dye (bass), both who also assisted with vocals. To some extent, I miss hearing some mandolin in the mix, but their sound instead emphasizes powerful guitar crosspicking, fluid yet understated fiddling, impressive lead singing and winsome harmonizing. Recreating a classic sound of the 40s and 50s, the mix seems a little distant -- not as "in-your-face" as some studio projects being released today. Also, the track listing in the CD jacket seems slightly askew because "Single Girl" actually plays on track 9 (not 10 as listed) and "The Lonesome Traveler" plays on track 10 (not 11 as listed).

During the six years in the 1990s that the Gillis Brothers were actively touring, they developed a strong following. Their mountain music sound captures the best of the roots of the bluegrass genre. All three albums from which these tracks are drawn are still available today as CDs. With the release of this "Best of the Gillis Brothers" sampler, this band's music is back with a vengeance. (Joe Ross, staff writer, Bluegrass Now)